This bloke is fuggin' amazing!

[slowpoke]

I knew he was a legend on an enduro bike but I didn't realise he was so talented at just about any type of two wheeled motorsport. What's next, ice-racing?

This has been shamelessly plundered from www.formula-xtreme.com.au.


Merriman Signs For Aprilia

Australia’s Crown Prince of World Enduro, Stefan Merriman, will be Aprilia’s number one rider for the 2007 World Enduro Championship. Merriman, who was born in Tauranga (New Zealand) on the 24th March 1973, moved at a very young age to Australia, where his passion for motorcycles developed. In 1993 he became Australian Trial’s champion as well as New Zealand Supercross Champion and in 1995 he competed and won at the highest level of road racing, in the Australian Supersport 600 championship. Merriman’s seemingly universal riding skills soon extended to Enduro.

It was in this toughest and most challenging of all motorcycle racing specialities that Merriman found his true vocation, performing in such a manner that he soon became the man all other Enduro riders had to beat. Merriman even earned himself the nickname of ‘the Martian’ for his out-of-this-world times.

Four times Enduro World Champion (2000, 2001, 2003, 2004), in 2005 Merriman finished second in the E2 class. In 2006, despite a period of bad luck, having won three races, he finished the season in third place, taking to 62 his total of Enduro World Championship wins.

[merv]

Yep man's a legend, shame he rides for the Aussies though coz they claim his victories as theirs.

Those in road racing will remember him racing the Yam 600 here many moons back, and those in trials will remember him and his old man Warwick well.

His World championship wins often get overlooked in this country but he has a few of them as mentioned above.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Yeah the Aussies are sooo full of shit!
He didn't move to Austrailia at a ver young age...he moved there at 20.
How do I know this? Cause he was my flatmate!
I was working at Brisbane Yamaha when Steve Hope (the spares manager and multi time Queensland Trials Champ) got Steffan to come over and work/ride for us. It was then, once I saw what a freak he was on a bike that I convinced him to to go road racing.......within a couple of meets, he was mixing it with the country's best in 600SS....on a YZF 600...this, despite the fact that until he and I had gone for a couple of road rides, he'd NEVER even ridden a road bike!! I'll never forget out first 'road ride'.....I'd stopped for a smoke...and Stefan asks...."Hey Rastus (God know's why he'd decided that was to be my name), can you do stoppies on these road bikes"? I said sure....when the front tyre's warm, and on the race trake it can be hard to stop them doing it.....So there I was...on an FZR1000B....minding my own business going down the motorway at around 120kph when Stefan went past me at around 140 ON THE FRONT WHEEL AT BALANCE POINT.......FOR AT LEAST 200M......FREAK!!.

I honestly think he could've been our answer to Rossi had he've stuck with road racing, but he had a couple of HUGE biffs at Phillip Island and basically decided road racing wasn't where it was at.....a real shame.

So he goes on to win 4 (for now!) world enduro crowns!!

Go Stefan!:Punk:

[slowpoke]

Hahaha! It's great hearing this sort of stuff about these hugely talented stars. Sometimes us lesser folk forget they are real people just like us....apart from that one special hard earned talent.

Seeing Rossi come through the airport (on TV) for Rally NZ he just looked like any other skinny young tourist: unshaven, grinning and chatting away, shorts, tee shirt and back pack....then climbed into the personal helicopter....illusion shattered!

I'm sure these freaks come from a different planet......

[Coyote]

I had known he was brilliant at trials and enduro, but I didn't realised he had done some road racing too

Got to enter a few trials on my Dads bike this year :D

[vifferman]

Stefan asks...."Hey Rastus (God know's why he'd decided that was to be my name
So, why are you "Crasherfromwayback"? Surely Rastus is a perfectly good name? If it's good enough for Stefan, then it's good enough for us.

[Crasherfromwayback]

So, why are you "Crasherfromwayback"? Surely Rastus is a perfectly good name? If it's good enough for Stefan, then it's good enough for us.

Well cause that's what I am...not who I am! The nickname my mates use for me is Ren....as in a nasty foul mouthed little Chihuahua...and yes, one of my best mates is Stimpy....he's the big mellow cat!

[Crasherfromwayback]

I had known he was brilliant at trials and enduro, but I didn't realised he had done some road racing too

Got to enter a few trials on my Dads bike this year :D

He finished third from memory in a three hour endurance race at Lakeside in what was his second ever road race meet.....learnt to ride a stand up jet ski in about 5 mins...and they're pretty tricky to learn for most motorcyclists...easier if you've never ridden a bike....like I said.... he's a FREAK

[Motu]

Stefan's father has been one of this countries top trials riders for at least 30 years,maybe in his early '60's now he still rides Expert A Grade,still wins.While never really being famous or well known,everyone in trials knows him,he rides in meetings all over the country and is seldom out of the top 5.

Warrick used to bring Stefan along to trials when he was a boy,and I remember when he got a Fantic 80 for him.I had ridden the bike a few times and was really impressed with it - Ray Skinner used to ride it in A Grade to show how capable it was.That was the mid '80's and I wandered of to Waiheke Island and out of the trials scene,but still followed Stefan's results and career.

Warrick can appear cold and hard,which is unusual in a trials rider,but it shows his absolute iron will and comitment,the mental approach is very important in trials and Warrick wears sections down just by the mental force of his attack.I am sure a lot of Stefan's success stems from the early training from his father,the boy has commitment in spades.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Stefan's father has been one of this countries top trials riders for at least 30 years,maybe in his early '60's now he still rides Expert A Grade,still wins.While never really being famous or well known,everyone in trials knows him,he rides in meetings all over the country and is seldom out of the top 5.

Warrick used to bring Stefan along to trials when he was a boy,and I remember when he got a Fantic 80 for him.I had ridden the bike a few times and was really impressed with it - Ray Skinner used to ride it in A Grade to show how capable it was.That was the mid '80's and I wandered of to Waiheke Island and out of the trials scene,but still followed Stefan's results and career.

Warrick can appear cold and hard,which is unusual in a trials rider,but it shows his absolute iron will and comitment,the mental approach is very important in trials and Warrick wears sections down just by the mental force of his attack.I am sure a lot of Stefan's success stems from the early training from his father,the boy has commitment in spades.

Yeah Warrick is a nice guy....he stayed with us a couple of times in Brisbane.
And you're right about the Iron will Motu....Stefan is a hard arse...and almost oblivious to pain.

[Crasherfromwayback]

and hopefully now Stefan's riding the Aprilia twin....they'll cut him loose on the Motard boys when he gets a spare moment...now THAT would be fantastic to see!:Punk:

[Coyote]

He finished third from memory in a three hour endurance race at Lakeside in what was his second ever road race meet.....learnt to ride a stand up jet ski in about 5 mins...and they're pretty tricky to learn for most motorcyclists...easier if you've never ridden a bike....like I said.... he's a FREAK
In my first road race on my old CBR I was 10 seconds ahead of the next fastest rider before I crashed :p

I have potential, just haven't had much chance

[Crasherfromwayback]

well stick with it mate!

[Coyote]

Kinda easy to do cause of the hill, but still looks cool :D

[et al]

I remember seeing a very young Stefan entertain us on his Trials bike during a lunch break at Boxing Day races - it was an awesome display, he was up on the hay bales etc. The thing I remember the most is the big beaming grin he had all the time he was doing it - he was so obviously enjoying it and I thought at the time he had to have a big future ahead of him with that attitude and skill.
I think he also won one of those "Golden Handlebars" races at Manfeild many moons ago, when he was Road Racing.

[Crasherfromwayback]

I think he also won one of those "Golden Handlebars" races at Manfeild many moons ago, when he was Road Racing.

That was done on trials tyres no less.....

[scott411]

big call riding the aprillia twin, stefan is not ht ebiggest guy around and the apirllia will be a hand full off road, he has great throttle control but it won;t be easy,

good luck, i hope he has more luck than Darryl Atkins did this year,

[Crasherfromwayback]

big call riding the aprillia twin, stefan is not ht ebiggest guy around and the apirllia will be a hand full off road, he has great throttle control but it won;t be easy,

good luck, i hope he has more luck than Darryl Atkins did this year,

He's a short arse alright....but with his trials skills mate....it won't matter!

[merv]

Remember I told you all about this guy way back here http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=5633 but you didn't seem so interested then.

[Motu]

He's a short arse alright....but with his trials skills mate....it won't matter!


I reckon his trials background has helped Stefan considerably....throttle control and balance,his feel for traction and being able to put his tyres millimetres from where he wants,the ability to read terrain and pick a line...these abilities put him way ahead of any MX or enduro based rider.

[Crasherfromwayback]

I reckon his trials background has helped Stefan considerably....throttle control and balance,his feel for traction and being able to put his tyres millimetres from where he wants,the ability to read terrain and pick a line...these abilities put him way ahead of any MX or enduro based rider.

How right you are Motu.....it was once I'd gone out in the hills with Steve Hope and Stefan on trials bikes that I kept at him to go road racing.....

I thought I'd seen it all on bikes...but what I saw Stefan do that day on a trials bike made me feel 100% novice like!

The way he can find traction where there is none....to see him leap up onto 20ft high slippery boulders (and I exaggerate not!)....has to be seen.

[Coyote]

The way he can find traction where there is none....to see him leap up onto 20ft high slippery boulders (and I exaggerate not!)....has to be seen.
Trials bikes are excellent for traction though. The Porirua MX track has a few steep, slippery hills that are easy on the Montesa. In saying that that's still incredible

How would Stephan compare to the trials champs riding now? In fact I don't know who they are, I haven't been following the world champs since around 2004 and then we had to get rid of Sky. Is Dougie Lampkin still at the top?

[Crasherfromwayback]

Trials bikes are excellent for traction though. The Porirua MX track has a few steep, slippery hills that are easy on the Montesa. In saying that that's still incredible

How would Stephan compare to the trials champs riding now? In fact I don't know who they are, I haven't been following the world champs since around 2004 and then we had to get rid of Sky. Is Dougie Lampkin still at the top?

Well Stefan was a youth world trials champion, and I've no doubt if he'd kept going with it would've cut it....it doesn't seem to matter what the hell it is....
Like I said....the road race boys are just lucky he didn't choose that route...

[Motu]

It was hoped he'd be our first World Trials Champion - but what the hell,what he has done is just bloody impressive anyway.The crime is no one knows or cares....

[Crasherfromwayback]

I do!......